Method of charging coking retort ovens



March 7, 1933. J. BECKER METHOD OF CHARGING COKING RETORT OVENS Original Filed Sept. 29, 1926 2 -SheetsSheet 1 dosgaf/ E 535 BY y Q March 7, 1933. J BECKER 1,900,753

' METHOD OF CHARGING COKING' RETORT OVENS Original Filed Sept. 29, 1926 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR Jose 0h Becke BY WNEY.

Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES JOSEPH BECKER, OF OHARA TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-

PATENT OFFICE SIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS COMPANY OF DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE METHOD OF CHARGING COKING RETORT OVENS Original application filed September 29,1926, Serial No. 138,414. Divided and this application filed February 20, 1930.

My invention relates to coke ovens and particularly to methods of charging coke ovens such as are described in my copending ap elication Serial No. 138.414, filed September 29, 1926, of which application this is a division.

My invention has for one of its objects to provide a method of charging a coke oven having a plurality of charging openlngsi 1 whereby all smoke and gases evolved duringthe charging operation may through two ofi'take openlngs.

A second object of my invention is to provide a method of charging coke ovens having be withdrawn a plurality of charging openings in suchmanner that the passageof gases to the one or the other end of the oven. will not'be prevented during the charging operation.

A. still further object of my invention is to provide a method of charging coke ovens whereby the passage of gases through the oven is not blocked at more than onepoint during charging whereby the number of offtake openings may be substantially independent of the number of charging openings.

It has been previously proposed to provide coke ovens with a plurality of charging openings andto provide an ofi'take openingat each side of the charging openings in order to effect the removal of any smokeand gases that may be entrapped when the oven is filled to the top by the discharge of coal from the corresponding hoppers. Such provision has been D advisable by reason of the fact that the entrapped gases are under considerable presings. Only one of the hoppers is of such capacity that the coal containedtherein is sufiicient to fill the oven completely at its charging opening. Accordingly, all of the smoke and gases evolved during charging maybe withdrawn through the one or the other off- Serial No. 429,953.

oven and its associated apparatus embodying my invention; and

F? g. 2 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modification. y i

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a coke oven 1 comprises a. coking chamber 2 having a top 3 that is provided with charging openings 4 and 5. The top, 3 is provided with offtake openings 6 and 7 that arelocated ad- 3' acent to the respective ends of the coke oven. The ofitake openings 6 and 7 are respectively connected by ascensionpipes 8 and 9 to collecting mains 10 and 11 that extend along the ends of the ovens in the usual battery.

Each of the ascension pipes is provided, at its upper portion, with a valve 13 and an operatin g handle 14 therefor whereby the ascension pipe maybe opened to the atmosphere in case, for example, it is desired to remove carbon or other deposits therefrom. Each of the ascension pipes is further provided.

with a steam jet 15 that is suitably controlled by. a valve 16 for a purpose to be later described. Each of the collecting mains is connected to a pipe 17 through which the smoke and gases withdrawn from the coke oven 1, as well as other coke ovens in the battery,'are conducted to the usual by-product house.

The top 3, which is a portion of the continuous top of the battery, supports rails 19, upon which a larry car 20 operates. The larry' car 20, which is not shown in all of its details, comprises, in general, a frame 21 that is provided with wheels 22 for co-operating withthe rails 19.

The frame 21 supports a relatively-small hopper 23 and a relatively largefhopper 24 that are arranged to supply the coking chamber 2 through the corresponding openings.

4 and 5. Each of the hoppers is provided with a sleeve 25 that is slidable upon the discharge'portion of the hopper. The sleeves 25 may be manipulated by any suitable and usual apparatus (not shown).

order to have the least amount of It may be assumed that the battery of ovens, of which the oven 1 is a part, is n operation and that the several ovens are in various stages of the coking operation. The collecting mains and 11 are operated under suitably regulated pressure, above atmospheric pressure, of the gases that are evolved during the coking operation. This pressure condition is essential by reason of the necessity for preventing the passage of highly heated air from the usual cross regenerators beneath the floors of coke ovens which might cause serious damage to the silica brick of the oven because of the combustion induced by the presence of such air.

It may be assumed further that the coke has been pushed from the oven 1 and that it is being recharged in accordance with the usual practice. The larry car with the hoppers 23 and 24 filled with tne proper amounts of coal, is brought to such position that the sleeves 25 register with the charging openings 4 and 5.

Before, or simultaneously with, the discharge of coal into the coking chamber 2, the valves 16 of the steam jets 15 are opened to increase locally the pressure differential in the ascension pipes that is exerted against the mains 10 and 11. The steam jet, which is directed outwardly from the oven, exerts an injector action whereby the smoke and gases evolved during the charging operation are drawn outwardly at a relatively high rate.

The lids or covers 27, only one of which is shown, are removed from the charging openings and the sleeves 25 are lowered into engagement with the oven top in order to prevent coal spillage around the charging hole. The hopper 23 is then discharged through the charging opening 4 and the coal there from fills the oven substantially to the extent indicated in the left-hand portion of the J oven. It will be noted, however, that the peak of the pile of coal in the oven does not reach the top thereof and that, accordingly, the free passage of gases through the oven 1s not blocked. The sleeve 25 of the hopper 23 may then be lifted and the lid 27 placed in position, as is illustrated in the drawings, without escape of smoke.

The contents of hopper 24 are either next, or simultaneously with, the contents of hopper 23, discharged into the oven, the method of charging always resulting in leaving an open gas space below the charging opening 4, under the hopper 23, whereby approximately three-fourths of the gases evolved pass under the charging opening 4 to the main 1( while only about one-fourth pass into main 11. It is general practice, in charging coke ovens with a plurality of charging openings, to discharge the outside hoppers first and then the intermediate hoppers, in

smoke discharge into the atmosphere and in the case illustrated herein showing only two charging openings, the proportions of coal in the hoppers are so arranged that, regardless of the order in which they are dmcharged, there will always be free gas space through which the gases may pass into the collecting mains.

In order to completely distribute the contents of the hopper 24 into the oven, the usual levelling apparatus, comprising a levelling bar 28, only a portion of which is shown, operates through the levelling door 29 to level the coal in the oven in the usual and generally adopted manner. The charging lids are, of course, replaced as soon as all coal has discharged into the oven.

The levelling operation will continue until the upper surface of the coal is substantially level. As soon as the coal beneath the charging opening 5 is levelled, the gases may be removed through either of the openings (3 and 7. The steam jets 15, which are adjusted in accordance with the quantity of gases evolved in the oven, are left in operation only during the short period while the oven is being charged. Their use is not necessary during the normal operation of the oven after charging, since the pressure exerted by the gases within the oven is sufficient to effect their removal against the pressure above atmospheric pressure in the collecting mains.

It will be understood that the operation described above will be repeated in connection with the other ovens of the battery as they are charged successively in accordance with the charging schedule.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 2, in which the construction and operation differ only slightly from those of the apparatus of Fig. 1. Similar numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts in both views. The oven 30 is provided with three charging openings 31, 32 and 33, with which co-operate hoppers 34, 35 and 36. It will be noted that the hopper 35 is relatively large, while the hoppers 34 and 36 are relatively small.

The end hoppers are discharged and the corresponding lids 27 placed over the openings prior to the discharge of the hopper 35. Thereafter, the levelling operation proceeds as in the oven of Fig. 1, the conditions in the two arrangements being substantially identical in these respects.

It will be appreciated that I have provided a coke oven having a plurality of charging openings and charging means cooperating therewith so constructed and arranged that the oven is eventually completely charged without any gas escaping in the atmosphere. The oven is never divided into more than tWo compartments in which gases are evolved, whereby only two offtake openings are necessary to remove the smoke and gases.

While I have shown, by way of example,

ovens with two and three charging openings respectively, it will be further appreciated that, if the oven be filled to the top at one point only during the charging operation, only two ofitake openings are necessary, regardless of the number of charging openings.

My improved method of charging is of particular advantage in that it may be adapted to existing installations wherein larry cars are provided with hoppers of equal capacities by regulating the amount of coal supplied to the several hoppers whereby only one of the hoppers contains sufficient coal to complete the oven charge. Accordingly, my invention is not limited to the use of larry cars having hoppers of unequal capacities.

The foregoing and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains. It is obvious that many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art of constructing and operating coke ovens and it is desired, therefore, that my invention be not limited except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I

1. The method of charging a horizontal coke oven having a plurality of spaced charging openings inthe top thereof which comprises filling said oven while hot through said openings with coal to the top at one only of said openings, levelling the contents of said oven and withdrawing the gaseous products of the oven at two points only and on opposite sides of said one opening during the filling and levelling operations.

2. The method of charging a coke oven With coal which comprises partially filling said oven while hot at certain portions thereof, filling said oven to the top at one portion thereof and withdrawing at opposite sides of the completely filled portion the gases evolved in said oven during the charging operations. 3. The method of charging a horizontal coke oven having a plurality of spaced top charging openings which comprises partially filling said oven while hot through said open ings with coal adjacent certain of said openings, filling said oven to the top adjacent other of said openings and withdrawing at each end of the oven the gases evolved there- 1n.

4. The method of charging a horizontal coke oven having a plurality of spaced top charging openings which comprises discharg ing coal through certain of said openings to only partially fill. the oven while hot at such openings and then discharging sufficient coal through an opening in the oven to complete the charging operation. j

5. The method of charging a hot horizontal coke oven having two spaced top charging openings which comprises discharging a relatively small amount of coal through one opening whereby the passage of gases in said oven from one side to the other :of said opening is not blocked and then discharging :a relatively large amount of coal through the other opening. 7

6. The method :of charging a coke oven having a plurality :of spaced charging .openiii-gs in the top thereof which comprises :discharging arrelatively small amount of coal into-said oven while the oven is hot through all but onek'of said-openings whereby the flow of gasrthro-ugh' the oven is not obstructed thereby and then discharging a relatively large amount of coal through saidone ofsaid openings .to complete the charging operation.

7. The method of charging a coke oven having a plurality of spaced charging openings the :top thereof which comprises discharging relatively small amounts of coal into said oven while the oven is hot through all but-one of said openings which are insufficient to fill the oven to the top thereof at any point, discharging a relatively, large amount of coal through said one of said openings .to complete the charging operation, levelling the contents of said oven and Withdrawing the gaseous products ofsa id oven on opposite sides of said one opening.

'8. A method of charging a horizontal coke oven chamber which consists in passing coal .into the chamber while the chamber is hot through a plurality of points distributed along the top of the chamber until the coal piling up beneath said points approaches, but does not reach the roof of the chamber, completing the charge by supplying the coal to the chamber at a single point and leveling the charge, and continuously withdrawing the gas from the chamber at opposite sides of the last-mentioned point during the charging operation.

9. The method of charging a horizontal coking chamber having a plurality of charging openings in its roof distributed along the length of the chamber and having gas offta-kes adjacent the opposite ends of the chamber, which consists in first passing through a plurality of said openings into the chamber while the chamber is hot coal sufiicient in amount to form a major portion of the charge, but insufiicient to cause the coal to pile up beneath any one of the last-mentioned openings suiiiciently to obstruct a free gas passage through the upper portion of the chamber between said off-takes, and then completing the charge by supplying coal through a single one of said openings and levellingv 10. The method of charging a horizontal coking chamber with wet coal which comprises simultaneously passing the coal into 7 the chamber while the chamber is hot through openings, completing the charge by passing the coal into the chamber through a charging opening intermediate said first-mentioned openings, ievelling the charge during the completing of the charge, and continuously withdrawing the gases evolved during the charging at opposite ends of the series of openings.

11. The method of charging coal having high moisture content into a horizontal coking chamber having a plurality of charging openings in its roof distributed along the length of the chamber and having gas ofi'- takes adjacent the opposite ends of the chamber which comprises simultaneously passing separate batches of the coal into the chamher while the chamber is hot through nonadjacent openings until the coal piling up beneath said openings approaches, but does not seal these openings, externally closing the openings thus utilized, completing the charge by subsequently passing another batch of coal into the chamber through an opening intermediate the openings first utiiized, and continuously Withdrawing the gases evolved during said operations through said gas ofitakcs.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of February,

JOSEPH BECKER. 

